An optimist is a person who sees only the lights in the picture, whereas a pessimist sees only the shadows. An idealist, however, is one who sees the light and the shadows, but in addition sees something else: the possibility of changing the picture, of making the lights prevail over the shadows.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Optimism, Ideals
Ethical religion can be real only to those who are engaged in ceaseless efforts at moral improvement. By moving upward we acquire faith in an upward movement, without limit.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Ethics
To care for anyone else enough to make their problems one’s own, is ever the beginning of one’s real ethical development.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Ethics
The family is the school of duties. But it has this distinguishing excellency, that among those who are linked together by the strong ties of affection duty is founded on love.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Family
Act so as to elicit the best in others and thereby in thyself.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Optimism, Positive Attitudes
Love of country is like love of woman—he loves her best who seeks to bestow on her the highest good.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Love, Patriotism
Love is the expansion of two natures in such fashion
that each include the other,
each is enriched by the other.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Love
The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light.
—Felix Adler
Topics: Heroes, Light, Heroism, Heroes/Heroism
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